Giovanni Cecconi to deliver Louisiana Environmental Lecture
October 09, 2024
Cecconi currently heads the Venice Lab and serves as a mentor at Ca' Foscari University of Venice
CC&E is excited to welcome renowned Italian engineer Giovanni Cecconi as a speaker in the Louisiana Environmental Lecture Series.
In a visit made possible by the W.M. Keck Foundation, Cecconi will speak on “Adapting to climate and social changes in Venice: Knowledge and experiences to share.”
“Dr. Giovanni Cecconi is one of the foremost experts on coastal flooding in the world. He led the ambitious and successful MOSE project that protects the city of Venice, Italy from flooding,” said Chris D’Elia, a professor in the Department of Oceanography & Coastal Studies. “He is now trying to develop other novel solutions to coastal flooding.”
Throughout his career, Cecconi has worked tirelessly at the intersection of engineering, ecology and community stewardship. He was instrumental in the creation and management of the MOSE flood protection system, a 20 year, $6 billion project that saw the building of massive hydraulic flood barriers at three locations around the Venice lagoon, to protect the historic city from high tides brought on by rising sea levels. When elevated, the barriers provide up to ten feet of water level difference between the Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea.
He has also been a longtime proponent for nature-based solutions – the use of natural features and processes to address environmental challenges. Using this approach, he has spearheaded ecological restoration and disaster risk reduction projects and worked organizations around the world on sediment management, coastal restoration, and adaptation strategies.
Cecconi has been a tireless advocate for engaging with and educating communities on environmental challenges and working together to create solutions. Currently Cecconi serves as head of the Venice Lab, an organization dedicated to addressing issues surrounding climate change and environmental justice. He also serves as a mentor at Ca' Foscari University of Venice.
The Louisiana Environment Lecture will be held on Tuesday, October 22nd, at 5 p.m. in the Dalton J Woods Auditorium, with reception to follow. RSVP here. This is a free event.